Positioning and posturing article

ABSTRACT

A Positioning and Posturing Article (PPA) is provided and includes a PPA structure, wherein the PPA structure includes, a PPA front, a PPA rear, a plurality of PPA sides, a PPA top, and a PPA bottom, wherein, the PPA further includes a PPA width W, a PPA length L and a PPA thickness T, and wherein at least of the PPA top and PPA bottom are configured to have a coefficient of friction within a range of approximately 0.25 and 2, ±10%.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to and claims the benefit from U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/056,175 (Atty. Docket No.LAZ-0001-P), filed Jul. 24, 2020, the contents of which are incorporatedby reference herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to an article for assisting inpositioning, posturing and/or stabilizing infants, and more particularlyto an article for positioning, posturing and/or stabilizing a person(such as an infant, geriatric patient or paralyzed person) by assistingin the positioning and posturing of that person.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As is known, infants up to 6 months old lack the muscle maturity andcontrol to perform many basic tasks necessary for the stabilization oftheir bodies. As such they tend to move around uncontrollably which mayput them in dangerous positions or situations. This is also true forgeriatric patients and people who are paralyzed and do not have themuscle strength or control to stabilize their bodies. One such exampleincludes supporting themselves while they are situated in a sitting orlying device. In the case of an infant, the infant tends to slide ormove downwardly toward a supine position. Accordingly, there are manydifferent devices that are available to help physically support theinfant while the infant is in a sitting position, such as a nursingpillow, car seat, swing/rocker chair, floor seat or highchair. However,even though most of these devices include a strap to secure the infantinto the device, they still tend to slide or move downwardly toward thesupine position. This could put the infant in a situation where theinfant may be choked by the retaining strap, or if the infant is wearingexcess clothing, the infant may find their face covered by the excessclothing thereby creating a possible suffocation risk.

Another such example includes when an infant is located on a changingtable. In this situation, even though the infant is unable to roll over,they are typically able to move or slide around on the changing table.If the baby is allowed to get close to the side of the changing table,the baby may fall off the table and break a bone or worse. Accordingly,while there are devices to help infants with restraining andpositioning, these devices are not able to provide sufficient enoughhelp with positioning and posturing of the infant and thus still allowsthe infant to uncontrollably put themselves into potentially dangeroussituations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A Positioning and Posturing Article (PPA) is provided and includes a PPAstructure, wherein the PPA structure includes, a PPA front, a PPA rear,a plurality of PPA sides, a PPA top, and a PPA bottom, wherein, the PPAfurther includes a PPA width W, a PPA length L and a PPA thickness T,and wherein at least of the PPA top and PPA bottom are configured tohave a coefficient of friction within a range of approximately 0.25 and2, ±10%.

A Positioning and Posturing Article (PPA), comprising: a PPA structure,wherein the PPA structure includes, a PPA front, a PPA rear, a PPA top,and a PPA bottom, wherein at least of the PPA top and PPA bottom areconfigured to have a coefficient of friction within a range ofapproximately 0.25 and 2, ±10%.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present inventionwill be more fully understood from the following detailed description ofillustrative embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings in which like elements are numbered alike in the severalFigures:

FIG. 1 is a top down view of a Position and Posturing Article (PPA), inaccordance with one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a top down and side view of the top portion of the PPA of FIG.1.

FIG. 3 is a top down close up view of the top front portion of the PPAof FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a top down view showing a plurality of the PPA's of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a top down view of artwork for the top portion of the PPA ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a view of the top portion of the PPA of FIG. 1, arranged inthe vertical orientation relative to a user.

FIG. 7 is a view of the top portion of the PPA of FIG. 1, arranged inthe horizontal orientation relative to a user

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, a Positioning and PosturingArticle (PPA) 100 is provided for controllably positioning and posturinga person (an infant and/or a disabled person and/or an older person) ina chair or on a bed/table. The PPA 100 helps to prevent the person fromshifting out of a stable position and sliding downwardly/sidewardly offof a support surface and/or into a more supine or bent position.Additionally, this helps to avoid the chin of the person from beingangled and forced into the chest of the person, thereby negating anysuffocation or choking risks.

Referring to the FIGURES and in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent invention, the Position and Posturing Article (PPA) 100 includesa PPA structure 102 having a PPA front 104, a PPA rear 106, a first PPAside 108, a second PPA side 110, a PPA top 112 and a PPA bottom 114. ThePPA 100 further includes a PPA width W, a PPA length L and a PPAthickness T and may be sized and shaped as desired suitable for thedesired end purpose. For example, in one embodiment, the thickness T maybe between approximately 1/16 inch and 1 inch thick, ±20%. In oneembodiment, the PPA length L may be approximately 1.0 to 2.0 times thePPA width W, ±20%. The PPA 100 further includes a raised pattern 116which is located on the PPA front 104 and configured to extend out ofthe PPA front 104 by approximately 0.7 mm (may range from 0.1 mm to 1.5mm). It should be appreciated that, in one embodiment, the raisedpattern 116 may be shaped in a sinusoidal pattern which may spread outacross the PPA front 104 between the PPA top 112 and the PPA bottom 114and which may extend from the first PPA side 108 to the second PPA side110. It should be further appreciated that the “S” or sinusoidal patternallows for added holding strength when the PPA 100 is used bothhorizontally and/or vertically. It is contemplated that in otherembodiments of the invention, other shapes of raised patterns 116 may beused as well, such as saw tooth patterns, square patterns, circlepatterns, rectangular patterns, dot patterns, etc.

It should be further appreciated that, in one embodiment, the PPA 100may be constructed from a flexible, self-adhesive, odor resistant,water-based polyurethane gel material, wherein the PPA front 104 and thePPA rear 106 may be tacky (or sticky) to the touch and wherein the PPAfront 104 may include a front coefficient of friction μ_(F) and the PPArear 106 may include a rear coefficient of friction μ_(R). Accordingly,the object does not easily slide along the PPA front 104 and/or the PPArear 106. It should be appreciated that the front coefficient offriction μ_(F) may be selected responsive to the size and/or shape(and/or what the person is wearing) of the person and/or the size, shapeand/or type of surface (i.e. the chair and/or table surface) for whichthe PPA 100 is being used. Additionally, it should be furtherappreciated that the rear coefficient of friction μ_(R) may also beselected responsive to the size and/or shape (and/or what the person iswearing) of the person and/or the size, shape and/or type of surface(i.e. the chair and/or table surface) for which the PPA 100 is beingused. Thus, if the PPA 100 is to be used for an infant lying on achanging table, then the front and rear coefficients of friction μ_(F),μ_(R) may be less than the front and rear coefficients of frictionμ_(F), μ_(R) for a PPA 100 that will be used for 150 pound adultgeriatric patient sitting upright in a chair. It should be appreciatedthat the front coefficient of friction μ_(F) and/or the rear coefficientof friction μ_(R) may be configured to limit sliding movement of aperson weighing at least five (5) pounds and greater.

Accordingly, when an object is in contact with the PPA front 104 and/orthe PPA rear 106, the front coefficient of friction μ_(F) and the rearcoefficient of friction μ_(R) make it is very difficult for the objectto experience both lateral motion and/or rotational motion. For example,if the object is in contact with the PPA front 104, the frontcoefficient of friction μ_(F) requires that a front translation force ofsufficient energy is required for the object to slide along the surfaceof the PPA front 104. Additionally, if the object is in contact with thePPA rear 106, the rear coefficient of friction μ_(R) requires that arear translation force of sufficient energy is required for the objectto slide along the surface of the PPA rear 106. In a similar manner, ifthe object is in contact with the PPA front 104, the front coefficientof friction μ_(F) requires that a front rotational force of sufficientenergy is required for the object to along the surface of the PPA front104 and if the object is in contact with the PPA rear 106, the rearcoefficient of friction μ_(R) requires that a rear rotational force ofsufficient energy is required for the object to roll along the surfaceof the PPA rear 106.

Accordingly, the material of the PPA 100 should be chosen such that thefront coefficient of friction μ_(F) and the rear coefficient of frictionμ_(R) are sufficient enough to prevent and/or limit rotational andtranslational movement. It should be appreciated that in otherembodiments of the present invention, the PPA 100 may be used forvarious other applications. For example, the PPA 100 may be used onplastic seats (such as those on amusement park rides, boats, buses,ect.) to help stabilize passengers.

Moreover, it should be further appreciated that although it iscontemplated that the front and rear coefficients of friction μ_(F),μ_(R) for a PPA 100 may range between approximately 0.25 andapproximately 2±10%, in some embodiments, the front and rearcoefficients of friction μ_(F), μ_(R) may preferably range betweenapproximately 1 and 1.4, ±10%. It should be further appreciated that inother embodiments, materials that are flexible and/or bendable and thathave a sufficient coefficient of friction may be used, such as forexample soft rubbers, polymers, materials that utilize a hook and loopconfiguration and/or materials that utilize nano-fiber arrays and/ormicro-fiber arrays.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the PPA 100 may beimplemented by placing the PPA 100 onto a supporting surface, such asthe base of a pillow and/or the back of a seat, a chair and/or thesupport surface of a changing table, a mattress, infant bath tub, etc,where the person will be located. The person should then be positionedonto the supporting surface such that the PPA 100 is contacting theperson in at least one location, such as the back of the person and/orbelow the waist of the person. It should be appreciated that that PPA100 should be disposed such that the PPA rear 106 is in contact with thesupporting surface and the PPA front 104 is in contact with the person.Moreover, in one embodiment, the PPA 100 should be oriented such thatwhen the person is located on the PPA 100, the coronal plane of theperson should be substantially parallel with an imaginary plane X whichruns between the PPA top 112 and the PPA bottom 114 to intersect the PPAtop 112 and the PPA bottom 114, and the coronal plane of the personshould be substantially parallel with an imaginary plane Y which runsbetween the first PPA side 108 and the second PPA side 110 to intersectthe first PPA side 108 and the second PPA side 110.

While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplaryembodiment, it should be understood by those skilled in the art thatvarious changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted forelements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention.Moreover, the embodiments or parts of the embodiments may be combined inwhole or in part without departing from the scope of the invention. Inaddition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situationor material to the teachings of the invention without departing from thescope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not belimited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best modecontemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the inventionwill include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appendedclaims. Moreover, unless specifically stated any use of the terms first,second, etc. do not denote any order or importance, but rather the termsfirst, second, etc. are used to distinguish one element from another.

What is claimed is:
 1. A Positioning and Posturing Article (PPA),comprising: a PPA structure, wherein the PPA structure includes, a PPAfront, a PPA rear, a plurality of PPA sides, a PPA top, and a PPAbottom, wherein, the PPA further includes a PPA width W, a PPA length Land a PPA thickness T, and wherein at least of the PPA top and PPAbottom are configured to have a coefficient of friction within a rangeof approximately 0.25 and 2, ±10%.
 2. The PPA of claim 1, wherein thePPA length L is configured to be approximately 1.0 to 2.0 times the PPAwidth W.
 3. The PPA of claim 1, wherein the PPA top is configured tohave a front coefficient of friction μ_(F) between 1 and 1.4, ±10%. 4.The PPA of claim 1, wherein the PPA bottom is configured to have a rearcoefficient of friction μ_(R) between 1 and 1.4, ±10%.
 5. The PPA ofclaim 1, wherein the front coefficient of friction μ_(F) and the rearcoefficient of friction μ_(R) are configured to limit sliding movementof a person weighing at least five (5) pounds.
 6. The PPA of claim 1,wherein the PPA is constructed from a flexible, water resistantpolyurethane gel material.
 7. The PPA of claim 1, wherein the PPA isconstructed from a flexible material.
 8. The PPA of claim 1, wherein thePPA is constructed from at least one of a soft rubber, a polymers, amaterial that utilizes a hook and loop configuration and a material thatutilizes nano-fiber arrays and/or micro-fiber arrays.
 9. The PPA ofclaim 1, wherein the PPA further includes a raised pattern on at leastone of the PPA top and the PPA bottom.
 10. The PPA of claim 9, whereinthe raised pattern is at least one of a sinusoidal pattern, a saw toothpattern, a square pattern, a circle pattern, a rectangular pattern and adot pattern.
 11. The PPA of claim 1, wherein the PPA thickness isbetween approximately 1/16 inch thick and approximately 1 inch thick.12. A Positioning and Posturing Article (PPA), comprising: a PPAstructure, wherein the PPA structure includes, a PPA front, a PPA rear,a PPA top, and a PPA bottom, wherein at least of the PPA top and PPAbottom are configured to have a coefficient of friction within a rangeof approximately 0.25 and 2, ±10%.
 13. The PPA of claim 12, wherein thePPA further includes a PPA thickness T configured to betweenapproximately 1/16 inch thick and approximately 1 inch thick.
 14. ThePPA of claim 12, wherein the PPA length L is configured to beapproximately 1.0 to 2.0 times the PPA width W.
 15. The PPA of claim 12,wherein the PPA top is configured to have a front coefficient offriction μ_(F) between 1 and 1.4, ±10%.
 16. The PPA of claim 15, whereinthe PPA bottom is configured to have a rear coefficient of frictionμ_(R) between 1 and 1.4, ±10%.
 17. The PPA of claim 16, wherein thefront coefficient of friction μ_(F) and the rear coefficient of frictionμ_(R) are configured to limit sliding movement of a person weighing atleast five (5) pounds.
 18. The PPA of claim 12, wherein the PPA isconstructed from a flexible, water resistant polyurethane gel material.19. The PPA of claim 12, wherein the PPA is constructed from at leastone of a rubber material, a polymer material, a material that utilizes ahook and loop configuration and a material that utilizes nano-fiberarrays and/or micro-fiber arrays.
 20. The PPA of claim 12, wherein thePPA further includes a raised pattern on at least one of the PPA top andthe PPA bottom, wherein the raised pattern is at least one of asinusoidal pattern, a saw tooth pattern, a square pattern, a circlepattern, a rectangular pattern and a dot pattern.